ST. CLOUD -- In honor of its 150th year of being a university, St. Cloud State is rebranding its fall celebration.

Interim President Ashish Vaidya announced during Saturday's football game St. Cloud State University will be having a Homecoming celebration next fall.

Vaidya says since 2010 the Fall Celebrate St. Cloud State events have been a success and now SCSU would like to incorporate Homecoming back into the celebration.

"We're going to build on the success of Fall Celebrate events, it's also family weekend, that weekend. We're going to combine the best elements in ways to reconnect with alumni, engage with the campus and the community and build on the wonderful programming we've had with Fall Celebrate."

Homecoming 2018 will feature the SCSU Foundation's Annual Gala and Alumni Association Awards, just like Fall Celebrate has done in the past.

Vaidya says bringing back a Homecoming celebration has been in the works for nearly two years but has been delayed due to late President Earl H. Potter III death.

"Late in 2015, the alumni association made a request to former President Potter about a plan for Homecoming and to rebrand Fall Celebrate as Homecoming."

Vaiyda says the plans were put on hold while the campus dealt with Potter's death.

Homecoming was changed to "Celebrate, St. Cloud State" nearly seven years ago as a way to change the tradition of getting up early and going to the bars for a full-day of drinking known as "kegs and eggs."

When the decision was made to do away with Homecoming, then President Potter said the school's Homecoming reputation was one he wasn't particularly proud of.

Vaidya says St. Cloud State makes the health and wellness of its students a top priority and through the use of their UCHOOSE program they are able to help students make responsible choices when it comes to drinking.

"I'm confident that with all of the conversations that have been happening on this campus and especially the way this campus and community rallied the last 15 months in the face of tragedy. I feel really good about the fact that we will rise to the occasion and use this time to celebrate what I think will not only be a way to honor the past and celebrate the present but a glimpse into what the future holds for St. Cloud State."

Homecoming 2018 will be October 17-21. St. Cloud State turns 150 years old on September 15, 2019.

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